On the one hand, it is one of the more bizarre coaching-search stories in recent years.

On the other, it makes perfect sense.

Tim Floyd coached USC from 2005 to 2009. (AP Photo)

The Los Angeles Times reported Tuesday that Texas-El Paso coach Tim Floyd spoke with Southern Cal athletics director Pat Haden about returning to the Trojans, nearly four years after he was dismissed from the position following NCAA sanctions against the program. Floyd told the Times the two met for three hours and that their conversation “went well.”

That was the curious part of the Times report. Floyd not only is coaching at UTEP, the Miners (16-12, 9-5) have a significant Conference USA home game Tuesday night against Memphis.

The part of the story that wasn’t odd: The Times also quoted a source close to the search as saying Haden had interviewed Syracuse assistant coach Mike Hopkins -- the ideal candidate for the job -- someone prepared to infuse the program with the energy and enthusiasm it often has lacked over several decades.

Hopkins has been an assistant coach at Syracuse since 1996 and in recent years has had an agreement as coach-in-waiting. His presence is valuable to the Orange because he is the program’s top recruiter. He is a native of southern California and attended high school at Orange County’s Mater Dei, a national basketball power. It’s possible he would consider the move to unlock USC’s potential as a basketball program because Boeheim has given no signs he is interested in retiring soon.

Floyd told the Times it was important to those Trojans who played for him and the assistant coaches who worked under him to be made aware the school still thought enough of the program he ran to consider inviting him back. Floyd coached three teams that made the NCAA Tournament and one that played in the Sweet 16, but he was forced out after it was ruled guard O.J. Mayo had accepted extra benefits in violation of the NCAA’s amateurism regulations.

“I feel they should know that USC reached out, that no violations were found by the NCAA with USC basketball," Floyd told the newspaper. "I felt like I got my name back when I got offered a number of jobs when I left USC. Pat and I talked at length.”

Haden, through a spokesperson, declined to comment on the search. Haden fired coach Kevin O’Neill in January. Under interim coach Bob Cantu, the Trojans are 7-5, raising their record to 9-7 and a fifth-place standing in Pac-12 play.